Melody
by Cordelia Rose
Summary: Sequel to Harmony. Fem!Merlin. Merlin and Percival are now married, and since the affair with the visiting nobles, have had a fairly quiet time. However, as we all know, nothing in the Merlin world stays normal for long, and soon more troubles arise. Both of them are desperate to protect each other, but will they both survive?
1. Chapter 1

Hello to my lovely readers. This story is a sequel to 'Harmony' and if you haven't read that, I'd suggest you do that before reading this. **This won't make too much sense in some areas otherwise**. A few things to say before you embark upon this journey:

1. I hope you enjoy the first chapter (and all the ones that follow, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it);

2. Please leave me a review so I know how this, as an opening chapter, is: I'm a bit nervous about it;

3. If anyone's interested, I was thinking of doing a series of M-rated one-shots alongside this story: I was going to make this story M and include some scenes of a _sexual nature_, but then I realised that some people then wouldn't read the rest of the story because of that. So, if I have an audience, I will publish them separately.

* * *

Merlin's finger twitched once, then twice, as she slowly stirred from sleep. She didn't open her eyes, but traced her hand along the bed to find her husband. Or, as soon became apparent, lack thereof.

Now Merlin opened one eye, and scanned the room. There was no sign of Percival anywhere. The other eye opened, and she sat up in bed, tucking the covers around her to preserve her warmth.

"Percival?" she called, her voice echoing back to her in their stone chambers. Merlin sighed. _Training_, she thought, although she still hadn't managed to work out what in the Old Religion's name had possessed Arthur to plan early-morning training sessions in these harsh, bitter winter months.

Grumbling, Merlin unwrapped herself from the cocoon of blankets she had formed and hopped onto the tile floor. The solid wave of cold that hit her feet rose up and up, throughout her entire body. "I hate you, Arthur," she moaned, plodding over to the tin bath. "Onhǽte þá wæter," she muttered, waving her hand over the tub that her maid had filled earlier that morning, turning the water hot once more.

Moving behind the screen to change and hang up her nightclothes so they wouldn't become creased, Merlin clicked her fingers to secure the bolt on the door.

The hot water was, at first, an unpleasant jolt to her cold body, and felt more like it was burning than anything else. Regardless, Merlin sank into the water up to her neck, knowing that soon her body would adjust and the temperature would become blissful.

Just as she had relaxed into the steaming water, there was a curt, polite knock at the door. Merlin closed her eyes for a moment in mild annoyance and then called out, "Yes?"

"My lady," came the voice through the door, "the King requests your presence in the Great Hall."

"Oh, bloody hell, Arthur," Merlin muttered, then raised her voice to query, "when does he need me?"

"He says urgently, ma'am; as soon as it is possible for you to attend."

"Thank you. Tell him I will do so," Merlin sighed and flicked a bit of water lazily. So much for her relaxing bath.

LINE BREAK

Merlin hurried down the spiralling stairs that lead from her chamber to the main corridor. It had only taken her five minutes to get ready with the aid of her magic, and she was dressed in a deep purple gown that complimented her alabaster skin and ebony hair – one that Percival had bought her shortly after their wedding.

As she approached the Great Hall, her heart began to beat faster. She loved emergency council meetings – it sounded odd but it gave her the rush of adrenaline that came with anticipation. There was something urgent happening and she couldn't wait to find out what.

The doors were closed but as she neared the guards nodded politely and heaved the doors open for her. "Thank you," Merlin said appreciatively, and entered the Great Hall. There were a few gathered around the Round Table – the first person she noticed was Percival, who smiled at her, a grin that was never used for anyone else but her. She beamed back, and then nodded towards Arthur, approaching the chair next to Percival.

Arthur waited until she was seated, and then cleared his throat. Around the table were Gwaine, Leon, Elyan and Gwen, all of them looking tense and worried. Merlin reached for Percival's hand under the table, noticing how his shoulders were stiff and he was sitting very straight against the back of his seat.

He squeezed her hand when she took it, and glanced sideways at her. There was the same love and affection in them that was omnipresent when he looked at her, but looking deeper, Merlin sensed a great deal of anxiety. They obviously all knew the gist of what was going on then.

"As you know," Arthur began, "we have a problem with the Saxons once more."

Merlin understood why everyone was so uneasy now – upon hearing the words, she also felt a little restless. Over the past seven months or so, the Saxons had given them nothing but anguish. They had pillaged several small villages on the outskirts of Camelot and attacked patrols in the woods. So far, there had been nothing drastic done, but Merlin had a feeling that whatever Arthur was about to say might be.

"There is another group approaching the borders of Camelot." Arthur took in a deep breath and glanced around at the solemn faces around the table. "They are much larger than any other so far, the patrols tell me. There are at least fifty or sixty of them."

Merlin rubbed her forehead with her free hand. The groups that had been trouble-making so far had been smaller, far smaller, with fifteen or twenty Saxons at the most. They were not trained strategically like Camelot's soldiers, but were ruthless enough to make up for that lack of training. They hacked at anything with axes and stones, causing severe injuries. A small group were moderately easy to defeat, but a larger group would be difficult.

"They have yet to breach the borders, but we have sent out clear warnings in the past: if they breach the borders, then we will have to attack. The warnings have been circulating for long enough and they will know of them. It will not be an unfair attack." Arthur paused, pinching the bridge of his nose as he always did when stressed. "However, that could lead to a war. We know that they have their own area of Britain and there are thousands of them. The Saxons have tolerated the killings of a few so far, but they may not be so accepting if we kill such a large group."

Merlin felt a weight sink down to her stomach: a war was something that Camelot could not afford right now, and something that was not a great prospect if it was against the Saxons. "We have allies, Arthur," she pointed out, her leg starting to jump up and down uneasily. "Mithian and Annis at the very least will support you in a war."

"I have already asked them for assistance should it come down to it," Arthur replied, ruffling his hair messily. "They have both agreed but warned that even with the three of our forces combined, it is likely that the Saxons have more."

"They're not trained," Gwaine chipped in. "We have far more powerful weapons than they, and we can prepare for a siege as soon as the threat rises."

"I know, Gwaine," Arthur sighed. "But it would take a massive drain on Camelot's resources and frankly, after all that had happened recently, we cannot afford it."

Nobody had any more suggestions, everyone's faces lined and tense. Arthur pinched his nose again. "Council dismissed."

The chairs scraping against the tile floor as everybody stood. "It'll be fine," Percival murmured to Merlin, seeing her anxious expression, as they began to walk away.

"I don't think it will," Merlin replied agitatedly, rubbing her fingers against Percival's hand. She glanced behind her and saw Arthur slumped in his chair, and Gwen standing behind him with her hands on his shoulders. "I hope so, though."

* * *

So? Good? Bad? Terrible?


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

_Warning/s: None…? Some adult themes, I guess, but nothing explicit, and nothing above a T._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin._

_A/N: So glad with the reception I got from the first chapter! Keep it up, yeah? ;) I hope this one is as good as the first and you're all liking where this is going, drop me a review so I know what you think!_

* * *

"They're dangerous, Perc, you know that," Merlin grumbled, slamming the door behind her. She stomped into the room and threw herself onto the bed. Percival smiled at his wife's temper and kneeled down beside her so their heads were level.

Merlin turned her head and met her husband' steady gaze. "Sorry," she said softly. "I shouldn't take it out on you."

Percival chuckled. "You weren't, Merlin, don't worry." He stood and took a few strides around the bed, and then flopped down next to her. "We're all strung out about it."

Merlin shuffled sideways and laid her head on Percival's chest. "I just wish things would be peaceful for longer than two months."

"I know," Percival murmured, stroking her ebony hair softly, pulling it out of the braid she had done it in for the council meeting. She had plaited it when it was still damp, and now it was wavy, fanning over the pillow in a cascade of curls. "You're so beautiful."

Merlin giggled. She felt pleasantly drowsy now, tired from stress, even though it was not yet noon, but Percival had relaxed her. "Are you going to go out and fight the Saxons?" she whispered.

Percival sighed. "Can't you stop thinking about it, for now at least?" His wife worried too much, and that worried him.

Merlin shook her head. "It's not going to leave my mind," she replied. "You know what happened last time there was a large group of them."

Percival shuddered. Their own men, although they outnumbered the Saxons by at least twenty, had been slaughtered mercilessly. "Yeah, but that was on their ground, and it was unexpected," he comforted. "We'd be prepared this time."

"It could be you," Merlin pointed out, her hand clenching around Percival's shirt. She sighed: that was what was really troubling her about the situation.

"It won't be," Percival calmed. "I'm a brilliant fighter, you know that. No Saxon's going to get me!"

Merlin laughed, feeling a little comforted by his words. "I know. You'll be fine?"

"Of course I will!" Percival reassured. He was glad Merlin was resting on his chest: if she was face to face, she would have seen the worry on his. Truth be told, he had no idea who would be successful if it came down to a war between Camelot and the Saxons. "I need to get down to training," he added, noticing the position of the sun in the sky.

"I'll come with you," Merlin offered, raising her head to look at Percival. He raised his eyebrows. "I'd like some fresh air."

"Come on then," Percival agreed suspiciously. He had a feeling that Merlin had an ulterior motive, but he couldn't prove anything. He would have to let her play out whatever she wanted to find out; and usually what she did turned out well in the end, anyway.

Percival rolled off the bed and proffered his hand to Merlin, who gladly accepted and slithered off the bed. Percival rolled his eyes: her dress was crumpled and her hair had become messy.

"What?" Merlin asked, catching sight of her husband's eye-roll.

"You look…" Percival's cheeks turned pink. "As if…well, you know."

Merlin's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. She honestly had no clue what Percival was thinking of. "As if what? We were just lying on the bed together."

"Exactly," Percival muttered. "People might think that…we weren't just lying there."

Merlin laughed. "You're blushing!" she exclaimed. "You've gone bright red."

"It's a sensitive topic!" Percival defended, hurrying to the door. Before he could escape from his wife's taunts, Merlin darted in front of him and leant against the oaken exit.

"Why? We've done it enough times," Merlin pointed out, watching as the tips of Percival's ears grew red to match his face.

Percival's throat constricted as he swallowed but he said nothing: instead he just stared at his wife, looking quite obviously embarrassed.

"I'd try and relax, Perc," Merlin winked. "If your face is bright red that's just going to reinforce everyone's beliefs."

Percival grabbed her wrists and moved her away from the door easily, striding out, still flushed scarlet. Merlin ran after him, shutting the door to their chambers, determined to embarrass her husband further.

* * *

Arthur glanced up when he had shouts coming from the other side of the training field. All of the knights had arrived by now except for Percival. He squinted, the sun behind the two figures approaching, and realised that it was in fact Percival – and Merlin.

Merlin was laughing, and Percival looked annoyed, but the way he looked at Merlin was still full of love, even through the irritation. Arthur sighed. He and Gwen hadn't looked at each other like that for a long time – they still loved each other, he knew that, but they had been too stressed of late.

Merlin was, in vain, attempting to ruffle Percival's hair; he was at least a head over her, and so far she wasn't having any success. Percival was walking ahead steadily, ignoring his wife's feeble efforts, while Merlin ran to keep up and leapt at random moments. Arthur smiled: he was glad they could relax in times such as these.

As they approached, their conversation became faintly audible. Percival was complaining about Merlin trying to mess up his hair, and Merlin was laughing and saying something about "Everybody does it!" Arthur decided to let them be.

"Arthur!" Merlin cried joyously. She skipped over and slammed the King on the back, and as always, Arthur was astonished at the strength her tiny, skinny frame held. "I came to watch training!"

"Why?" Arthur asked suspiciously. He exchanged glances with Percival, who wore the same expression as him.

"No reason!" Merlin exclaimed brightly. In Arthur's experience, having been served by Merlin for several years now, when she was as happy as she was now she was hiding something.

* * *

It was a warm day and the training knights were all sweating. Percival was duelling with Gwaine, and most of his concentration was on blocking his swipes. A small amount was focused on Merlin, who was wandering around the training field, looking as innocent as a new-born babe. _What's she up to?_

Gwaine took advantage of his lapse in concentration and managed to catch Percival on the arm lightly. Percival jumped, startled, and glanced down at his left forearm. It wasn't a serious laceration, but it was bleeding slightly.

"Next time," Gwaine grinned in his pleasant Irish brogue, "stop staring at Merlin."

Percival grunted in reply: he never had much to say around his friends, he didn't _know_ what to say. Conversation came easier with Merlin.

Percival glanced over to Merlin again, ignoring the light stinging in his arm. She was still strolling around the field, but Percival was sure her eyes flashed gold. It could have been the sun, he reasoned, but he was sure Merlin was making some sort of plot.

He resolved to ask her about it later and ambled towards the medical tent that was always set up. He caught Merlin's eye along the way and smiled, gesturing towards the cut on his arm when she raised her eyebrows. She frowned and came skipping over.

"How did you get that?" she asked in concern, a crease between her eyebrows, down her glabella.

"Too busy admiring you to pay attention," Percival replied truthfully. Merlin flushed slightly in gratitude and examined the cut. They drew to a halt a few paces from the medical tent.

"Not too bad," she concluded. "I would heal it, but Gwaine might be a bit suspicious if it suddenly disappears."

"I'll go and get it cleaned." Percival leant down and kissed Merlin quickly. "Meet you back in our chambers in about an hour or so?"

Merlin nodded, and then wandered off again, this time heading towards the rack of swords. This time, her eyes definitely did flash gold. Percival shook his head and ducked into the medical tent.


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3_

_Warning/s: None._

_Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin._

_A/N: Sorry for the gap in between updates, been busy with my little brother – I've been babysitting him lately and he's always got some kind of bother -_-_

_I have also posted a story called 'Melody – Extracts', which is pretty self-explanatory. It's the M-rated sidefic I promised a lot of you so go check it out if you want. The first extract is from this chapter ;) I hope you enjoy this chapter, review so I know what you think?_

* * *

Merlin had spent a good three hours now on the training field, wandering around and testing various weapons and knights. She didn't want anyone, not even Percival, to find out what she was doing, because she wasn't sure whether it would aid anyone yet. She had been earning suspicious glances from Arthur, and pretty much everyone, but she didn't mind. Nobody had said anything to her so far, so she considered that safe.

The sun was scalding today, sitting in a cloudless sky, and it beat down mercilessly on everyone's backs. She felt sympathy for the training knights, who were kitted out in full chainmail and leather, wielding swords high above their heads and jogging to warm up their limbs. She had chosen well for the day, a light dress with no underdress, and she had plaited her hair at some point out of the field, relieving her neck from the heavy weight.

She decided to head back inside: she was exhausted from the heat and judging from where the sun was sitting in the sky, it was fast approaching evening. Arthur usually ran his training sessions late into the day, and Merlin could see that Arthur was starting to become tired.

She slipped away inconspicuously; she didn't want any questions now. She just wanted to get back to Percival and relax a little. The magic she had been using had been gruelling and strenuous, and she just wanted to have a bath and go to bed with Percival. Luckily, her chambers were only on the second floor so she didn't have too much of a distance to travel.

She stomped through the castle grounds to the courtyard. She wasn't angry, but when she was distracted with her own thoughts she often trod heavily. It was a habit that she had possessed since she was very young and had never been able to dispose of completely, and one that she detested, but Percival had mentioned to her before that he thought it was adorable.

Now that she came to think about it, Percival cherished many of her habits that she despised. She paused halfway up the steps, momentarily side-tracked from her main stream of thought. She loved all of his habits that he detested, too. Was that how love worked? She thought of Arthur and Gwen. Maybe not for everyone. She knew for a fact that both of them hated how Arthur couldn't wake up properly in the early morning.

Merlin carried on up the stone steps, her footfalls reverberating loudly in the solemn, quiet courtyard. Most of the servants were inside, unwilling to venture out into such heat – and the same went for the nobles who dwelled in the castle. She enjoyed the peace, used to the bustle of the everyday scurrying of servants and dallying of nobles who had nothing to do.

The castle doors were open, a fact for which Merlin was glad. They were heavy and for her skinny frame, required a level of strength that she didn't have. She headed inside and breathed a sigh of relief; the air inside was cool, unlike the heat outside which was still and stagnant, and she let the breeze chill the sheen of sweat on her skin.

The castle's corridors were deserted: most servants would be in their employer's rooms. From Merlin's experience of nobles, they became lazy during heat and would stay in one place for the entire day, wanting to be waited on hand and foot. She was glad for the space in the oppressive heat, and with a quick glance around to make sure that she really was alone, hitched her dress up to her knees. The lower halves of her legs were practically drenched in sweat and she was relieved when she was finally outside the chambers she shared with Percival.

She was surprised to find the doors locked when she pushed against the oaken panels, so she rapped the door smartly and called, "Percival? It's me." There was a strange sloshing noise from inside, like water being poured into a goblet but magnified.

"Come in," he replied. Merlin frowned. How was she meant to? It was locked, presumably with the bolt that they rarely used. As if he could read her thoughts like words scripted on a page, he called out to her again, "Use your magic."

Merlin's eyes widened in disbelief. She gave a quick glance up and down the corridor to make absolute certain that nobody was around, and then her eyes ignited golden and the bolt slid back in place. "Percival!" she hissed as she stepped inside and slammed the door behind her, her back to the room. "What if someone had heard you?"

"There's nobody there – there never is in this type of weather," Percival pointed out lazily. Merlin spun around, angry at his nonchalance. Her glare faltered as she realised he was in the bath.

"That's not fair," she hissed, pointing at him accusingly. "Don't use your nudity to make me happy."

Percival spread his arms. He was in the tin bath tub that they both used, which was about twice the size of an average person, and looked completely relaxed in the steaming water. "I didn't know you were going to come in now."

Merlin had to admit that he had no way of knowing when she was going to return, but she wasn't going to admit that to him. "How can you stand the water being that hot in this weather?" she asked incredulously. That reminded her of her own heat and she unlaced her dress at the back, loosening the material.

Percival raised his eyebrows. "It's actually pleasant. It's calming, not smothering. And it gets all of the sweat off."

"You have a point," Merlin grumbled, kicking her shoes off. Even her feet were caked in perspiration. "I could do with a bath myself."

"Come join me then," Percival offered. It was Merlin's turn to raise her eyebrows. "This bathtub can fit the both of us." Merlin grinned and undid her dress at the back. Her eyes glowed gold as the bolt slid back across to lock the room.

* * *

"You never really talk about your family," Merlin said sleepily as she emerged from behind the dressing screen. She supposed it was odd really, that she was too self-conscious to undress in front of her husband, considering what they just did in the bath together. She grabbed a brush from the table and sat on the edge of their four-poster bed.

Percival was already in bed, lounging against the pillows, the sheets stripped down to his waist and his torso bare. He glanced across at his wife and smiled gently. He sat up and moved behind his wife, crossing his legs. "Give me that," he said quietly, accepting the brush from Merlin.

His long, surprisingly graceful fingers undid her braid quickly and gently and he began to brush out her ebony hair. "I never really talk about them because nobody asks, and also I don't really think there's much to say."

Merlin nodded, careful to not be too violent in her movements so Percival could continue. "I never asked before because I didn't want to upset you," she replied, closing her eyes as Percival combed the tangles from her hairs.

She heard Percival chuckle lowly. "I don't think I'd be too upset. It was a long time ago."

"I still get upset about Balinor," Merlin winced as the brush snagged on a knot. Percival apologised gently and was gentler as he replied.

"You never knew him though…I knew my family and loved them, so I have many good memories of them to remember. You have more bad than good, so it's harder for you."

"I suppose…could you talk about them?" Merlin asked hesitantly. "It's just that I want to know more about you and I like hearing happy stories about families."

Percival handed her the brush back, satisfied with his work. Merlin laid it down on the table beside her bed and smiled when Percival wrapped his hands around her waist, kissing her hair. "Of course I can," he murmured close to her ear.

Merlin let Percival guide her into a comfortable position, cocooned by his body. "What were your parents like?"

Percival sighed happily, his breath fluttering her hair. "My mother passed when I was seven," he began. "So my father raised me and my siblings. There were six of us: four boys and two girls. He was brilliant, he was the kindest man you could meet and he always provided for us. He trained all of us how to defend ourselves and how to be good, kind people. When we reached our mid-years, we began to work as well. My eldest sister became a clothes-mender and my two older brothers gained apprenticeships as blacksmiths.

"The only thing I was good at was handling a sword, so I managed to find work as an assistant to the local weapons' master."

"How old were you?" Merlin queried.

"Fourteen summers," Percival replied. He sighed again. "Our village was peaceful, until Morgause became powerful. I was around eighteen summers old. She began to control our village, taking crops from us, executing anyone who she didn't like…my father was one of those.

"At that point we were all working, so we could provide for ourselves, but we were living in constant fear. Then, one day, when I was around twenty summers, when Morgana had joined forces with her, she ransacked the village during the night." Merlin heard Percival swallow and his breathing hitched. She squeezed his arm softly. "She set fires everywhere…there wasn't any hope. I only escaped because I wasn't in my house at the time…but all my brothers and sisters…"

"What were their names?" Merlin asked softly. She sensed that Percival was close to his breaking point, something she'd only seen once before on their wedding night.

Percival cleared his throat and kissed her forehead. "Rose and Lily, they were twenty seven summers and thirteen summers…Rob, he was twenty three summers, Balin, he was nineteen summers, and Simon was fifteen summers."

"It wasn't fair," Merlin said softly. Knowing the names of Percival's perished siblings had affected her greater than she thought it would. She knew it would be difficult, but not this difficult to deal with. She could only imagine the torment that Percival must have gone through.

They fell asleep cradled in each other's arms, warm and safe from any harm.

* * *

_A/N: I'm pretty sure that Balinor is the name of Merlin's father…or am I going mad? Anyway, as we don't know anything about Percival's family, I just made some stuff up here. Please tell me if there is anything actually known about his family, I haven't watched the show for a while (that reminds me, I need to lend my gran series 5)._


End file.
